Rotary engine.



F. W. MEYER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.B. 191 I.

1,267, 1@@. Patented May 21, 1918.

4 SHEETSSHEET 1- F. W. MEYER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

AFPLlCATION FILED SEPLS. 19H

Patented May 21, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

In Q wguuuililiEV I F. W. MEYER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPLB. 1917.

1,267, 100. Patented May 21,1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

F. W. MEYER.

ROTARY ENGINE. I APPLICATION min sum. 19!].

1,267,100. Patented my 21,1918.

'4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

' terior of the steam-chest;

U IT l STATS ROTARY ENGINE.

Application filed September 8, 1917. Serial 1104190340.

Clair and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is aspecification. I I

The object of this invention is to provide an unusually compact andpowerful rotary engine having a stationary crank-shaft, utilizing thecylinders and pistons in lieuof a fly-wheel, having a balancedsteam-chest, unusually steam-tight, and with an arrangement whereby theadmission of steam to the pistons relieves the main bearings. As awhole, this engine reduces vibration and,

saves much anchoring. I

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and inwhich like numbers of reference .denote like parts wherever they occur,

Figure 1 is an end elevation;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view; I 1

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 in Fig. 2; I

Fig. 4 is a side elevation (partly in section);

Fig. 5 is a section on the line, 5-5 in Fig. 1

i Fig. 6 is a view on the line 6-6. in Fig. d; Fig. 7 is a perspectiveview of the in- Fig. 8 is a sectional view the line 8-8 in Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9-9 in Fig. 4:; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmental developed detail of steam and oil passages fromone port to the other in the steam-chest.

The short cylinder or ring 1 rests upon standards 2. The shaft 3 isrotatable in its of the same on bearlngs and in fixed connection with arotatable fly-wheel, rotor, or crank-case containing a plurality of;piston-rods 5, 6, and 7, whichare connected to wrist-pins 1 and whichrespectively reciprocate with pistons 8, 9, and 10 in cylinders 11, 12,and 13 formed in the said crank-case 14:. Pistonrodcollars 71 encirclecrank-shaft 72, and" the reciprocation of the said piston-rods rotatesfly-wheel 0r c1'ankcase 1 1 and thus shaft 3.

A hand-hole 15, closed by hand-hole plate 16, allows entrance throughring or cylinder 1 to the cylinders 11, 12, and 13, the bottoms ofwhich, respectively, are formed by removable plates 17,18, and19, whichare normally screwed or otherwise suitably fastened so as to close theouter ends of the said cylinders. c

Calling the end illustrated in Fig- 1 the front, the front end ofcylinder 1 is closed by plate 20 and the rear by plate 21,,preferablyformed integral with the housing 22. Ball-bearings 23 in race 2d andball-bearings 25 in race 26 allow shaft 3 to revolve easily, oil beingsupplied through ports 27. Crank-case 14 is fixed to shaft 3, and pulley28 is keyed to a reduced part thereof.

Passage 30 in the crankcase 14, the end of which is beyond the heads ofpistons 8,

9', and 10, allows the admission of steam or 3 other fluid on theoutside of the said pistonheads and likewise its exhaust, which permitsthe engine to run in either directlon,

' this being, furthermore, controlled by the lever 31 and abutment 32,both keyed to shaft 33, journaled in steam inlet box 34 and at 35 inhousing 59 in connection with the -main body of the engine. When thelever 31 is IIIOVGCl to the right in Fig. 1, the abutment 32 assumes theposition shown in dotted lines in Fig, 5 in which the top of abutment32is at the righthand; and movement of lever 31 to the left in, Fig. 1causes abutment 32 to occupy the other position in Fig. 5, in which thetop of abutment 32 is at the left.

Inlet of fluid is through pipe 36, and exhaust is through pipe 37. Whenabutment 32 is in the position in which its top is at the right ofv Fig.5, fluid is admitted through pipe 36 to the left-hand side of thechamber in box 34 and passes through pipe 38 to steam-chest 39. I Whenin the opposite position shownby Fig. 5,fluid is admitted to theright-hand part of the said chamber and passes through pipe 40 tosteam-chest39. Thus it will be seen that pipes 38 and 40 may either bean exhaust conduit leading from steam-chest 39 to exhaust pipe 37, justas either may be a fluid conduit from inlet 36 ,to the steam-chest 39.Thus the engine may'run in either direction.

Bolts 41 attach a housing 59 for steamchest 39 to plate 20, andbolts 42attach box to the said housing 59.

sary or suitable lubrication.

suitable oil-hole or other source of supply.

Pipes 38 and 40 lead, respectively, to ports 4-11.- and 43-which:ist-he'inlet andwhioh is p the exhaust depending on the location ofabutment 32 relative to inlet 36.

- whenrotation of fly-wheel or ci'ai'ilecase 14rpasses'through port 30into the outer end of Steam-chest 39 is in form a collar con-itscylinder and forces the piston downta'ininginternal -;grooves 45, &6,-hand' 47, bounded by ribs 48, 49, 50, and 51 and abutments 52, 53, 54,55, 5'6, and5'7 and a duplication thereof at the opposite sideof theinternal perip'heryof the. said steam-chest.

A collar 58 fixed to crank-case 14: projects therefrom and is encircledby steam-chest 39 and within which the'said collar 58 rotatessynchronously withthe revolution of crank-case 14 with shaft 3, which isthereby driven,

A long strong bolt '60 passes through housing 59, crank-shaft support 61Within the same (Which support is longer than the steam-chest 39 isWide), and into the stationary "crank 72, thus binding v the Wholestrongly together and. supporting crankshaft 62 in such a way as toa1low rotation of crank-case 14. Bolt 60 is encircled by 25 crank-shaft62, on-the end 63 of which the head 64, of bolt 60 is, tightly bound,While the longitudinalmovement of bolt 60 islimited by screw-threads 65which engage in Outward longitudinal movement crank 72. of crank-shaft62 is limited by collar 67,

-while its outer end isthreaded at ,68 to receivenut 69. Except at theends,'bolt 60 is of a diameter not to fit tightly the interior of thecrank-shaft 62 which as indicated is tubular, thus affording oil passagefrom any Piston-rod collars 71 encircle crank-shaft '62, whicha-iseccentric'to the axis of rotation of crank-case 1e and shaft 3.

, Oil-cup 70 supplies oil for. packing and lubrication between collar 58and steam-chest .39, thG'SZLIIIG flowing through oil-passage 73 intooilroov-es 74 and reventin the esa cape of fluid from the fluid grooves4 5, 46, a:

rangenient side bysideof the piston-rod collars 7l on crank-shaft 62will be observed,

the center one being provided with a straight connection to its pistonWhile the others are .bent, so to speak, to make astraight connec- )tionwith their respective pistons. In lieu merelybyway of preference orillustration.

of this arrangement the crank-case can be 1 made of suitable size andthe cyl ndersstaggered.

Any number of cylinders may be used, and T,

the three herein shown and describedare Pipes 38. and 40 lead to op)osite sides of the steam-chest 39, and fluid from one of onexof thegrooves 46 and extends to the into box 34 fpipe 37 \va-rdly to theextreme of its travel, atwh' ch time port 30 comes into registrationwith the opposite groove L6 in steam-chest 39,

Fig, 15 and at .the time of so doingstu'd 7 6, tli-rea'dedly connectedat 77 in the end 7 5 of oil-passage 7 3, throws steam-chesti39around toits opposite position, slot78lallovving this movement of stud 76.

. Steam-passages orb-ores 79allow the passage of steamfromthe groove 46on one Side of the abutment to tl1 e;other side of the said abutment,thus balancing the valve or steamches't39 by preventing binding I Sincethe constant flow of oil from oilfeed through passage 73 and oil grooves7% will produce an accumulation in the housing pf crank-case 14, anopening, 80 in ring allowsv its removal by withdrawing plug 81, orinstead of plug-81 apipe may connect with opening 80 and lead away thesurplus oil to any suitable tank or pump forlresupply to oil-.feed'TO.

There'isa port 30 for each of the cylinders 11, 12, and 13, eachcapableof use alternately for inlet and exhaust.

The Weight, of the member v14, particularly because ofthe' added Weightdue to the cylinders 11, 12, and 13 and because they are located nearits periphery, enables the same to serve as ally-Wheel, as Well as acase containing the crank, crank-shaft, and related members. v '6 Theoperation of the machine is as follows: 1 Y J Thesteam is turned on inpipe 36, lever 32 is movedjfrom' thefull-line position of Fig. 5 to thedottediineposition at the right thereof in Fig. 5;.stezim passes throughpipe 38 to: ort stand into that groove 46 'a'd acent to pipe38;;then'ce. when a port 30 registers groow e 46 intofoneof thecylnders, thus driving "the piston for that fcylinder outwardly. Due tothe push of the gram -sha t 62 n ea Pi on h "s i is pushed inwardlyagain into its respective cylinder,ready fora fresh outward impulse ofsteam through port 30.. Bythe time ,steam from port 30 has pi shed'apiStO'Iito the extreme of its outward movement, its port 30 has comeinto registrationavith the other groove 46 that is in communication withport ig a a pipe 40, While1-ai'iothei' port 30 (leading to anothercylinder). has

come into registration with theepposite or inlet groove 46. If thedirection of opera tion of the engine be reversed, as hereinabovedescribed, the function of the various inlet and exhaust members ismerely reversed. The action of the crank-shaft 62 on the pistons 8, 9,and 10 causes the rotation of fly-wheel or crank-case let and with itcollar 58 and shaft 3, the bearings for which are relieved by the factthat the succession of cylinders in the said fiy-wheel or crank-case 14are balanced by the reception and exit of steam by the fact that thesteam inlet is toward the axis of rotation of the said crank-case 14-,collar 58, and shaft 3.

Although steam has been herein mentioned as the motive power, yet otherfiuid, such, for instance, as air or water, may be used.

Having thus described this invention, I hereby reserve the benefit ofall changes in form, arrangement, order, or use of parts, as it isevident that many minor changes may be made therein without departingfrom the spirit of this invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a rotary engine, the combination of a rotary cylinder-containingmember having a plurality of cylinders, with pistons and piston-rodstherein and a collar in fixed connection therewith and projectinglaterally therefrom, said collar and the wall of each of said cylindershaving a steam-passage therethrough, a collar encompassing thefirst-mentioned collar, adapted to act as a valve in connection with therotation of said fly-wheel and its attached collar, means for deliveringsteam to said valve-collar and exhausting steam therefrom, said collarhaving grooves with abutments therein also bores leading from thegrooves on one side of abutments to those on the other, said groovesreceiving steam from said valve-collar and delivering it into said boresfor balancing the valve or steam-chest by preventing a binding action atthat point, a crank-shaft with which said piston rods. are connected, ahousing adapted for the rotation therein of said fly-wheel and apower-shaft in fixed connection to said fly-wheel.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination of a rotary cylinder-containingmember having a plurality of cylinders, pistons, and pistonrods thereinand a collar in fixed connection therewith and projecting from one sidethereof, there being a steam-passage through the said collar and thewall of each of the said cylinders, a collar encircling the saidfirst-mentioned collar and adapted to act as a valve in connection withthe rotation of said fly-wheel and its attached collar, means foradmitting steam to the said valve-collar and exhausting therefrom, therebeing grooves with abutments within the said collar, and bores leadingfrom the grooves on one side of abutments to those on the other, saidgrooves receiving steam from said valve collar and delivering it intosaid bores for balancing the valve or steam chest by preventing abinding action at that point.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination of a rotary cylinder-containingmember having a plurality of cylinders, pistons, and pistonrods thereinand a collar in fixed connection therewith and projecting from one sidethereof, there being a steam-passage through the said collar and thewall of each. of the said cylinders, a collar encircling the saidfirst-mentioned collar and adapted to act as a valve in connection withthe rotation of said fly-wheel and its attached collar, means foradmitting steam to the said valve-collar and exhausting therefrom, therebeing grooves with abutments within said collar and bores leading fromgrooves on one side of abutments to those on the other, said groovesreceiving steam from said valvecollar and delivering it into bores forbalancing the valve or steam-chest by preventing a binding action atthat point, a cranle shaft with which the said piston-rods areconnected, a housing within which the said fly-wheel is adapted torevolve, a powershaft in fixed connection to the said wheel, astationary crank within the said housing and mounted on the inner end ofthe said power-shaft and supporting the inner end of the saidcrank-shaft, and a support within the said valve-collar for the outerend thereof.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allix my signature.

FRANK W. MEYER.

Ccpies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

